Renovating, decorating and creating in an 1867 Pennsylvania farmhouse.

Friday, January 8, 2016

Farmhouse Powder Room

So here it is...our farmhouse powder room!!!

Even though this room was tiny it seemed to take forever to complete (actually we still have a couple things to do like baseboards, but I couldn't wait to share). We did a total gut job on this room and I was so excited to finally be able to expose the beautiful original post and beam framing. You can actually see the wood pegs that are holding the timbers together in the corner beam. The fact that someone did this almost 150 years ago and it is still what is holding our house up is amazing to me.

The picture below is the bathroom as it looked when we moved in (we had started to rip up the rotted floor).

The area seen below is where the vanity is now, pretty huh?

We didn't have the money to do a full gut job and reno on this bathroom until this year so right after we moved in we attempted to make it a little less gross. We tore up the rotted linoleum and took down the weird stuff on the walls. We put in a new toilet and a new vanity and painted. We had to leave this weird middle wall with the light on top of it though, ugh. To say I HATED this bathroom is an understatement. And because it is right off of the kitchen our guests always used it and I was always sooo embarrassed.

Alas no more though!

The above picture shows the bathroom in respect to the kitchen, just to give you an idea of where this bathroom is in our house. The below picture is the same spot of the house a couple of days after we moved in.

Below is the same area as it looks now.

Here is the bathroom during the gutting process, we were so excited to finally get that gross tub out (no worries it was not original to the house)!

The good thing about how long it takes us to do something is that I get to think long and hard (and obsessively) about exactly how I want the room to look. Another bonus is that I always have plenty of time to look for the items that are going to be just perfect in the space, something I LOVE doing.

Originally I was going to have Neal build us a vanity with salvaged wood and doors but then I found this dresser for $40 at the Goodwill. It was an ugly brown color and had hideous knobs but I loved it the minute I saw it. For the price I figured even if it didn't work in the bathroom I could use it somewhere. I was really hoping it would work in here though. I knew the decorative scrolling at the bottom was the perfect thing to contrast with the more simplistic beadboard and rustic beams plus it was the perfect size and height for this room. It took lots of online searching but I finally found a drop in sink (Home Depot) that was small enough to work with it.

The faucet is made by Kingston Brass and we also got it from Home Depot (Online).

So that we could still use the drawer Neal cut the bottom out of the original drawer and then made two new side drawers to allow for the sink in the center.

I was on the search for drawer pulls when I found a set of faux drawers (Gabriels) that I guess you are supposed to hang on the wall? Not something I would do but the cast iron pulls on them were exactly what I was looking for and I can have Neal build me something with the faux drawers...win win.

The towels seen stacked next to the sink are actually what the Dollar Tree calls "bath mats" but they are the size of hand towels and have a great nubby texture so I thought they would be perfect in here. I bought the antique mirror at Boondocks Antiques in Tidioute, PA.

The light over the mirror is from Lowes. I absolutely love the fact that reproduction lighting is finally afforable.

The overhead light is also from Lowes, I bought it years ago on clearance but I believe they still make something similar.

As usual I wanted beadboard walls in here, I painted them Sundrenched Sand by Colorplace (Walmart). We put in a new window (Anderson) replacing the ill fitting and cheap one that was there, for me windows make the space. The white cupboard above the toilet is a flea market find and the hooks are from Hobby Lobby.

The floors are cedar planks that I beat up and then stained Minwax's Early American. The ceiling wood I left just as we found it. After we took down the plaster and lath ceiling all I did was give it a good washing.

On the other wall I hung this awesome wall cubby that I found at Burlington, it isn't old but it sure looks like it is. I bought it over a year ago and I just couldn't wait to hang it and put all of my vintage bathroom items in it. I was actually on the hunt for something just like this but I figured it would take forever to find it so I was so excited when I stumbled upon it.

It is the perfect spot for my ironstone pitchers and soap dishes.

My niece bought this cute "FARMHOUSE" bar of soap for me and it is just perfect in here. She bought it at a farmstand but you can it get at several online shops one of them being Sweetgrassonline.com. And the little antique looking scissors were one of my Christmas presents from Neal, they will be perfect in my apron when I do antique shows.

I know you guys waited a long time for this reveal so thank you for being so patient! I tried to think of every question I might get from you guys but just email me if there is something else you want to know!

Love your bathroom, especially the ceiling! So pretty! I always follow your blog and enjoy seeing pictures of your home. Thank you for sharing where you purchased everything. Could you please tell us what type of light bulbs you used in the vanity light? Thank you!

This is such a beautiful renovation. You have truly infused this space with a farmhouse feel. Kudos on a job well done!!! I am definitely heading to Lowes - those lights are adorable and exactly what I have been searching for. Thank you for sharing.

Hi Megan, your blog is absolutely amazing. I came across it a couple of months ago and just LOVE looking at your posts. Your home is just gorgeous, you and your family have done an amazing job. Thank you, you are such an inspiration.

Not enough words to describe how fabulous your bathroom is Megan! I love everything about it, but my favorites include the dresser turned vanit and the little scissors. I just adore those little scissors, lol. And the beautiful original ceiling - what a treasure! Jane

THIS BATHROOM IS MY DREAM BATHROOM!!! Neal is amazing!!! I elect him husband of the year! You really are a great talent too! Just absolutely beautiful.I am going to try and get those lights on your wall! I am in awe!!!Blessings

Oh, what a WONDERFUL job you guys have done. Congratulations! Thanks for the before and after pics . . . they really show what fantastic work you have done all over your house. It looks hopeless before and gorgeous after!

I adore what you have done. I am doing a very similar bathroom reno in my 1934 log house. I am also considering removing the shower which was added in the 70's but fear losing the shower space. What beadboard do you use? the panels or the single planks?

We use the single planks that are real wood, we used the panels for a couple projects when we first moved in and quickly learned that they are terrible quality and don't ever look like the real thing:)

Awesome remodel! And I love your thrifty approach -- you speak my language! We have been working on our bathroom since the 4th of July weekend....I plan to convert an antique, oak, trash-picked curvy dresser for our vanity. What did you paint/treat the counter surface of your dresser with? I am worried about water damage, and I am thinking about using marine varnish... And thanks for the link to your faucet! That's what we'll be getting, after returning two previous faucets! lol!